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The Australia T20I captain on the mood in the camp after their horror run against England

Liam Brickhill in Harare03-Jul-2018Aaron Finch has now broken the world record for the highest individual score in a T20I twice, and the Australian captain said that his 172 against Zimbabwe was “up there” as one of the best innings he has ever played.”It’s nice to break my own record,” Finch said. “Satisfying. It’s something that I’ll look back on when I’ve finished playing and be really proud of. Any time you get a few out of the middle like that it’s always nice. We started off quite well, and I just got on a little bit of a roll there. It was nice to get a few away.”Finch helped to break a couple of other records during his knock, adding the highest ever partnership in a T20I alongside D’Arcy Short, and then presiding over Australia’s largest ever win in this format. With two wins in two in Zimbabwe, the horror of Australia’s tour of England is beginning to recede, and Finch suggested that unfamiliar opponents and setting had made a big difference.”We enjoyed our trip the UK,” Finch said, somewhat paradoxically. “The results were horrendous for us, obviously, as we lost all six games. But I can’t question how we trained or the intensity we trained at. When you get a bit of an inexperienced group together and you get on the back foot early in a series like that, you’re chasing your tail for a long time and England just didn’t let up. They didn’t give us a sniff to get back into the series at all. That’s just the quality side they are at the moment.””The mood in the camp has always been really positive, and I think coming here we’ve brought that confidence that we had, but probably with a bit more self belief coming into a new tournament against two sides that we haven’t played for a quite a while compared to a team that dominated us last summer in Australia and then did so again. So new opposition and new environment has made a difference here so far.”Aaron Finch was in supreme touch•Associated PressZimbabwe might be new opposition for the Australians, but Finch is familiar with the country – having been here five times on various tours – and also with some of its players. Zimbabwe allrounder Solomon Mire holds Australian citizenship and scored a rookie contract with Melbourne Renegades in late 2013, training alongside Finch, who was Renegades captain. He debuted for the Renegades while Finch was away on national duty, but saw enough to be very well aware of just how destructive he could be.”I definitely knew what he was capable of,” said Mire, whose only over in the match went for 21, with 20 of those runs coming off Finch’s bat. “I think you have to admire some of these feats. It’s not every day you get to see such hitting coming off. When it does, everyone really just… it’s quite amazing to watch, but not good for the team.”Some things have changed for Finch since he first broke the T20 batting record back in 2013. He’s “a little bit older and a little bit wiser now” and, by his own admission, back then he “was just trying to make my way in international cricket and had a day out and got lucky in England”. He has finally cemented his position in Australia’s limited-overs sides, and circumstances have also handed him a captaincy role that he might have had his eyes on two years ago, before Cricket Australia handed that position to Steven Smith in all formats. “I think in the shorter formats of the game I’ve cemented my place a little bit more over the last couple of years with some pretty consistent performances,” he said.Then again, some things have not changed. He is still yet to break into the Australian Test side, and he has now scored more international hundreds (13) than any other batsman without playing Test cricket. That stat might frustrate a more hot-headed player, but Finch recognises that white-ball runs can’t necessarily be parlayed into a Test cap.”I’m not frustrated,” he said. “I think that when I was a little bit younger I had an opportunity to really start pushing my case for a few years. But I had probably 18 to 24 months of really lean red-ball cricket. I was playing good one-day cricket for Australia but I couldn’t put the runs on the board in four-day cricket. I’ve got myself to blame for that.”But, a little older and a little wiser, he has now learnt which of his skills might be transferable to long-form cricket, and is much more comfortable playing his natural game. “Now I’ve slowly started to build my red-ball game up again and I feel a lot more comfortable now playing my natural game, ultra-aggressive whether I’m playing in Australia or England. I do feel that over the last couple of years I’ve adapted my game and I’m in a much better position than I was a couple of years ago.”Finch’s next stop after the tri-series will be as one of Surrey’s overseas players for the T20 Blast. It’s a gig he’s looking forward to, and after his record-breaking knock, Surrey will be keener than ever to have him on their books. “Surrey is a great club to play for,” said Finch. “The middle of London in the middle of summer is a pretty good place to be. It’s an amazing place to play cricket, The Oval. The plan is to get over there after winning this series and try to pile on as many runs as possible.”When Finch broke the world record for the highest score in a T20I for the first time, journalist Jon Hotten wrote for ESPNcricinfo that his was “a record that’ll be lucky to survive five years”. As it turns out, Hotten was right and the record has fallen two months short of five years. “T20 […] has a long time left, and we are only at the edges of what is possible there,” Hotten wrote. “Aaron Finch will be a mad footnote in its relentless progress.” Having expanded the limits of possibility once again, Finch adds another footnote to this format’s rapidly expanding history. Who knows what heights he may still reach.

Chelsea would reportedly have to spend six years away from Stamford Bridge if they chose to redevelop the stadium.

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Chelsea looking at stadium development plansBlues considering buying a new homeMay have to leave Stamford Bridge for six yearsGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

According to The Sun, the Blues have two options: redevelop their current ground or 'pay over the odds' to buy land and build elsewhere. The west London outfit may have to rent a temporary home such as Wembley – just as Tottenham did – if they went ahead with the Stamford Bridge regeneration.

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The report adds that if Chelsea wanted to stay put, they would have to demolish the stadium and start from scratch. Conversely, the Blues have been linked with building a new ground at the former Earls Court Exhibition Centre a mile away – but just buying the land would cost £500 million ($636m) before construction begins. And if owner Todd Boehly went ahead with a £60,000-seater stadium, it could cost upwards of £1 billion ($1.27bn).

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

When Boehly took over the club in 2022 for £2.5bn ($3.1b), he promised to spend £1.75bn on players and a stadium project. While £1bn has already been spent on signings, progress on stadium plans have been much slower.

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WHAT NEXT?

While Chelsea's board try to push ahead with possible stadium redevelopment, the first-team are back in Premier League action on March 11 at home to Newcastle United in a battle between 11th and eighth respectively.

Erling Haaland has fuelled talk of a potential transfer to Real Madrid while admitting an extension at Manchester City is not his main "focus".

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Haaland hints he could leave Man City in futureLinked with a move to Real MadridHas a release clause which can be triggered this yearWHAT HAPPENED?

The Manchester City goal machine, who arrived at the club from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 on a five-year deal, has claimed that he is still very happy to be at the Etihad Stadium, but also left a hint that he could consider leaving in the future.

AdvertisementWHAT ERLING HAALAND SAID

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the Norwegian said: "I'm really happy, especially with the people I'm surrounded by. The manager, the directors, the board, I am really happy I have to say. I say this now, it will probably be a massive headline, tomorrow you never know what the future brings but I am happy. You can write this but you also have to write everything I said before. I am happy."

When quizzed on the possibility of a new contract at City, Haaland added: "Yeah, my focus is mainly now on the pitch, there's a lot of games, two days ago a derby, now CL, Sunday is Liverpool so I think I should focus on that."

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La Liga giants Real Madrid have been linked with a move for the 23-year-old, and reports suggest that the player may have a release clause in his contract that can be triggered in the summer of 2024 by clubs outside England. However, it remains to be seen if Los Blancos would consider paying an astronomical transfer fee in the region of £200m ($252m) for the Cityzens star after signing Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe, who is set to join the club once he becomes a free agent in the summer.

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(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ERLING HAALAND?

For now, Haaland remains focused on his duties at City, and will be next seen in action for Pep Guardiola's side on Wednesday against Copenhagen in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie before facing Premier League leaders Liverpool in a potential title decider on Sunday.

The Magpies may be flying now, but that has not always been the case. Newcastle United have endured years of strife and suffering under the former rule of Mike Ashley, whose interminable hold on the club has now been released, and prosperity looms large.

The new ownership was closely followed by the appointment of Eddie Howe in the managerial role, and for all the newfound wealth, it is his aptitude that has transcended the exploits of the squad.

Going from relegation strugglers to formidable Champions League contenders in less than two years, Newcastle have rectified the wrongs of the past and then some, with sights now set on erecting an impregnable position at the forefront of the European game.

£425m

£220m

£205m

£204m

£79m

£125m

£167m

£43m

£125m

£110m

£0m

£110m

£214m

£110m

£103m

£145m

£52m

£93m

£92m

£0m

£92m

£131m

£42m

£87m

£211m

£136m

£75m

£104m

£56m

£49m

And despite the financial strength, technical director Dan Ashworth deserves all the plaudits for the diligence in conducting business smoothly and shrewdly, with seven Premier League outfits yielding a higher net spend across the 2023 summer transfer window.

As mentioned, it really hasn't always been like this, with there being some pretty stonking howlers over the years.

Who are Newcastle's worst signings?

Okay, let's start with the big one: Michael Owen. The 2001 Ballon d'Or winner, Owen had blitzed onto the scene as one of the most prodigious youngsters of English birth in decades, having scored 46 Premier League goals as a teenager – the record total to this day.

Signed from Real Madrid for £17m in 2005 – a club record, beating the £15m fee paid for Alan Shearer – Owen arrived with a weight of expectation but only managed to score 30 goals across four seasons due to incessant injuries that ultimately proved the downfall of his position as one of the finest strikers in Europe.

It was exacerbated by the winding down of his contract amid a relegation battle and his since criticism of the club, alienating him from the fanbase.

And who could forget the likes of Remy Cabella, who signed from French side Montpellier for just over £7m before scoring just once from 34 matches and heading back to his homeland with his tail between his legs in 2015.

The list goes on, and while Matt Ritchie, who plies his trade on Tyneside to this day, doesn't represent the worst piece of business of all time at Newcastle, he is undoubtedly a reminder of the previous misdealings before the genesis of this developing golden age.

When did Newcastle sign Matt Ritchie?

Newcastle signed Ritchie from Bournemouth for an initial £10m in 2016 following the Tyneside club's relegation from the Premier League in 2016, and while he has chalked up 57 direct contributions from 198 appearances since joining, 26 came in the first season, in the Championship.

Since that maiden stage in black and white, the 34-year-old's influence has waned further by the season, where once he flickered brightly on the Premier League stage, now he scarcely emits the faintest glow.

Indeed, the 16-cap Scotland international has yet to feature this season – an unused substitute against Manchester City in both the league and the Carabao Cup – which compounds his recent woes after forging only ten outings across all competitions last term – failing to start once in the top-flight.

When combining his transfer fee with his wages – Ritchie earns £45k-per-week and has done so the duration of his Toon career – it's deducible that he will have cost the club £29m in total by the summer of 2024, when his contract will expire. All of that rather alarmingly means when you consider his 24 goals in black & white, he's set them back £1.2m every strike.

There is certainly no notion of renewal, and nor should there be; the Toon are very much on the rise, and as ruthless as it sounds, it is imperative that Howe eradicates the residual inferiority from the days of the outfit's past.

How good has Matt Ritchie been at Newcastle?

Once chastised for his "woeful" performances by journalist Kev Lawson, Ritchie has not been performing well over the past few years, very much at the epicentre of his side's troubles in 2021 before Howe's arrival.

Indeed, with Howe joining in November 2021, Ritchie would earn all 14 of his starts in the top flight before the turn of the calendar year, emphasising the absence of trust from his former Bournemouth boss, who oversaw his sale in the first place.

In fact, the dynamic ace has only scored twice since the 2019/20 season, with both goals coming in that very Premier League campaign, emphasising just how wide of the mark his displays have been over the past several years, where more than a few Magpies have been left scratching their heads as to why he still remains at St. James' Park at all.

There are still certain members of the Newcastle squad to need moving on, and alongside Ritchie stands fellow full-back Javier Manquillo, who has been similarly peripheral since Howe took to the helm.

The Spaniard was signed for £4.5m from Spanish side Atletico Madrid in 2017, one year after Ritchie, and has only made 110 appearances, branded "Championship" level by Jamie Carragher, who lamented his "really poor" defending.

Manquillo, aged 29, is also headed for the exit at the end of the season, and while he rather steals a living at £35k-per-week, he has cost the club far less than his Scottish counterpart, albeit having played a role of even greater insignificance.

Having only made 19 displays under Howe, Manquillo's acquisition is definitely not one that will go down in eternal memory, and if it does, it will be for the wrong reasons.

Ritchie was once a solid Premier League player but he has fallen onto the fringe over the past few years, and as Newcastle bask in the rising sun at St. James' Park, the veteran playmaker has unfortunately been hung up to dry, when he should have moved on years ago. Indeed, if there was ever a time to banish him, now is surely that time.

The Punjab wicketkeeper tested positive for Terbutaline, a banned substance that he said he ingested inadvertently, as part of medication for a respiratory tract infection

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jun-2018Abhishek Gupta, the Punjab wicketkeeper-batsman, has been handed a retrospective eight-month doping ban by the BCCI. A urine sample Gupta provided as part of the BCCI’s testing programme on January 15, when he was playing for Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, was found to contain terbutaline, which is among the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) list of prohibited substances.The BCCI charged Gupta with committing an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) on January 17 and provisionally suspended him. Gupta admitted to the violation, but said he took the substance inadvertently, as part of medication prescribed by his doctor to treat an upper-respiratory-tract infection, and not as a performance-enhancing drug. According to , terbutaline is a bronchodilator, which works by opening up breathing passages to make breathing easier.The BCCI was satisfied with Gupta’s explanation, and after considering all the evidence and taking expert external advice, has decided to suspend him for eight months, back-dating the start of the suspension to January 15, 2018. This means his records from matches played after January 15 – four T20s and six List A games – will be annulled. His suspension will end on September 14, 2018.Earlier this year, the BCCI suspended the Baroda allrounder Yusuf Pathan for five months for a similar offence, when his sample had been found to contain terbutaline.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Michael Beale oversaw an overhaul of the playing squad throughout the summer transfer window as a number of players were moved on to make way for new signings.

The Light Blues head coach snapped up Sam Lammers, Cyriel Dessers, Danilo, Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling, Jack Butland, Jose Cifuentes, Abdallah Sima, and Leon Balogun ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Who left Rangers this summer?

Seven players were allowed to depart from Ibrox on free transfers upon the expiry of their contracts with the Scottish giants this summer.

Ryan Kent

26

Alfredo Morelos

27

Allan McGregor

41

Filip Helander

30

Scott Arfield

34

Nmandi Ofoborh

24

The Gers also decided to cash in on Glen Kamara, Fashion Sakala, and Antonio Colak to build up some funds to strengthen the squad.

Sakala was a particularly surprising exit as the Zambia international had enjoyed an impressive 2022/23 campaign with the Light Blues.

His transfer to Al-Fayha did, however, represent the end of a terrific piece of business for the club as they were able to make a significant profit on the talented ace.

How much did Rangers pay for Sakala?

The Scottish giants did not pay a penny to sign the Zambian dynamo from Belgian side Oostende as they snapped him up on a free transfer.

At the time of the move, FootballTransfers placed his Expected Transfer Value at €2.3m (£2m) and this suggests that the club secured a bargain with their £0 swoop for his services.

Then-manager Steven Gerrard hailed him as a player with the potential to thrive in Scotland and detailed his hopes for the speedy gem to fulfill his potential at Ibrox.

He made the move to Rangers after an impressive 2020/21 campaign with Oostende in Belgium, as the former Spartak Moscow prospect showcased his goalscoring quality.

Sakala caught the eye with 16 goals and five assists in 34 matches in all competitions for the club, which included three goals and two assists in five Jupiter Pro League play-off matches.

The right-footed whiz averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.92 across 31 Pro League starts for the Belgian outfit and scored 16 goals – slightly better than a strike every other start on average.

How many goals did Sakala score for Rangers?

Sakala ended his career at Rangers with 24 goals in 91 appearances for the club in all competitions after Gerrard opted to snap him up after his impressive form for Oostende during the 2020/21 season.

The 26-year-old hotshot produced 12 goals and seven assists in 50 matches for the Light Blues throughout his debut campaign in Scotland.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.05 across 30 Scottish Premiership outings and contributed at the top end of the pitch with nine goals. However, his teammates often let him down in the final third as the talented whiz created seven 'big chances' and 38 key passes, only to be rewarded with three assists.

Sakala also played a crucial role in Rangers' Scottish FA Cup success as he caught the eye throughout the competition on their way to lifting the trophy at Hampden under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who replaced Gerrard during the season, in 2022.

The Zambia international scored in each of his first three appearances in the tournament and then assisted the winning goal against Celtic in the semi-final before the club beat Hearts 2-0 in the final.

He followed up on his impressive debut campaign with the Gers with a return of 12 goals and eight assists in 41 matches throughout the 2022/23 season under van Bronckhorst and Michael Beale combined.

Sakala plundered 12 goals and seven assists in 22 Premiership starts as he averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.05 across 29 appearances in total.

Only Antonio Colak (14) and James Tavernier (16) scored more top-flight goals for Rangers than the former Oostende star and this shows that he was one of the club's biggest goal threats throughout the year.

The electric ace, who scored four goals in five games during the top-six split, ended his two full seasons with the Gers on 21 goals and ten assists in 35 starts in total.

This means that Sakala contributed with a goal or an assist every 1.13 Premiership starts on average throughout his time with the Scottish giants, which highlights how efficient he was for the club.

How much did Rangers sell Sakala for?

Rangers reportedly raked in a fee of around £4m from Al-Fayha during the summer transfer window after he fell down the pecking order in Beale's thinking due to the likes of Danilo, Lammers, and Dessers coming through the door.

This shows that Gerrard, and former sporting director Ross Wilson, struck gold for the Light Blues in the summer of 2021 when they swooped to sign Sakala on a free transfer.

The Scottish side enjoyed his impressive talents on the pitch for two years before they were able to sell him for £4m more than they signed him for, which was nothing.

How many goals has Sakala scored this season?

Although, Beale may end up regretting his decision to cash in on the 26-year-old "firework" – as he was once dubbed by ex-Gers defender Alan Hutton – as the talented forward has enjoyed a terrific start to life in Saudi Arabia.

Sakala has scored four goals and assisted one in seven Pro League appearances for Al-Fayha and averaged an exceptional Sofascore rating of 7.46 in that time.

Meanwhile, Lammers, Dessers, and Danilo have four goals and zero assists in 16 combined Premiership matches, whilst no Rangers player has produced more than two goals so far this season.

The 5 foot 10 marksman's Sofascore rating would also place him third within the Gers squad this season as only Borna Barisic (7.48) and Tavernier (7.70) have averaged higher ratings in the league.

These statistics suggest that it may have been a mistake to move Sakala on from Ibrox in the summer as they have been unable to replace his goalscoring prowess, as it stands, and he is enjoying himself in front of goal with his new side.

However, there is no doubt that, whatever happens from now, Gerrard played a blinder with his move to sign him on a free transfer in the summer of 2021 and that the 26-year-old speedster should be seen as a successful signing by the English boss.

George Dobell at Taunton21-Apr-2018
ScorecardWhen talk turns to the contemporary Somerset batsman who might have contributed far more to England, it is usually presumed that the conversation is about Marcus Trescothick.But James Hildreth, too, might have gone on to do fine things at Test level. He went close at times, captaining what is now known as the Lions side and being labelled “an extraordinary talent” by Justin Langer. But, when the door was ajar, he lacked the consistency required to kick it open. Now aged 33, that chance has probably gone.But here, in scoring the 42nd century of his first-class career and his 40th for Somerset (only Viv Richards, with 47, Harold Gimblett with 49 and Trescothick, with 51, have more), he once again showed his class as a batsman and worth to his club. Just as he saved them in the final game of last year, when his century against Middlesex staved off the threat of relegation, he has so far contributed 159 runs in this low-scoring contest. There is every chance that could prove the difference between the teams.Hildreth on Barnard

“Barnard bowled beautifully. He bowled good areas, with natural away swing and he also has the wobble swing on the in swing so I was really impressed with him and his batting- he looked like Ricky Ponting. In the field you don’t take him on so I have been really impressed with him so far.”

Whether it does or not, this innings was a reminder that few batsmen in England time the ball so sweetly or have such a natural range of strokes.If Somerset do go on to win this game, however, Worcestershire will rue their squandered opportunities. Hildreth alone has been dropped four times in this match – twice in each innings – including a let-off in the slips (Tom Fell put down the chance off Joe Leach) before he had scored on the way to this hundred. Had it been taken, Somerset would have been 11 for three. The second drop, also in the slips (George Rhodes put down a more straightforward chance off Steve Magoffin), came when Hildreth had 54.Craig Overton was dropped early, too. Had he been taken, on four, as he should have been – Travis Head put down a simple chance at cover – Somerset would have been 159 for seven. As it was he helped Hildreth add 53 for the seventh-wicket and Somerset’s lead stretched beyond 200.”We’ve dropped five chances in this game,” the Worcestershire bowling coach, Alan Richardson, said. “So if we win, we’ll have asked our bowlers to take 25 wickets.”We genuinely believe we can still win this game, but we haven’t taken all the opportunities that have come our way and that’s frustrating.”Defeat for Worcestershire would also be cruel reward for Ed Barnard’s excellence. Having come into this game without a first-class five-wicket haul, he now has two of them and a maiden 10-wicket match to boot. And, as if that was not enough, he took Worcestershire within 23 runs of Somerset’s first-innings as he top-scored for his side with an increasingly elegant half-century.It wasn’t just the calm head that impressed, either. Barnard produced some high-class strokes including a back-foot drive that would have pleased many Test batsmen.The comparisons with Chris Woakes, at the same age, are obvious. Both have that calm, easy-going temperament that make them an asset in any dressing room. Both have all-round talents. And both, in their early 20s, faced questions over whether they have the pace to go a step further in the game.As things stand, Barnard bowls at about 80mph. In conditions like this, with a Dukes ball and well-grassed pitches where no heavy roller is used, his ability to swing the ball away and persuade the odd one back in with a wobble seam is more than enough to render him a valuable player. He knows, though, that to progress to international level he requires more pace. And while he has certainly gained a yard in the last year or so – and feels there is more to come – he doesn’t quite have Woakes’ height or frame to suggest he will be able to replicate that level of success. He is, however, going to score many runs and take many wickets for Worcestershire.While the pitch has eased a little, the indentations created on the first day will mean enough deliveries will continue to misbehave to ensure bowlers remain in business for the rest of this match. So while you suspect Somerset already have enough runs, they will be acutely aware of a similar game at this stage last year when they set Essex 255 to win in the fourth innings and lost by eight wickets courtesy of an Alastair Cook century.A second successive defeat would look grim for Worcestershire. In truth, though, they look every inch good enough to play in this division. They have looked every bit of potent with the ball as Somerset and, while their batting was a bit flaky, there is a lot of that about in English cricket at present. It is their fielding that has really cost them, though if one of their top-order makes a century tomorrow, they could yet leave Taunton with a victory.Off the pitch, meanwhile, Jamie Overton has been sent for a scan on his sore side and Lewis Gregory has been the subject of a 28-day approach from another county. As part of Somerset’s campaign to keep Gregory, the club have embraced the idea of preparing more seam-friendly surfaces at the expense of the spinning pitches which have been characteristic in recent seasons. He has also been appointed captain of the T20 side.

Heart of Midlothian supporters will be hoping that the international break has allowed the players to regroup following a mixed start to the season so far.

Steven Naismith has led the club to just three wins from nine matches, although one of those was against Rosenborg in the Europa Conference League qualifier at Tynecastle.

They failed to qualify for the group stages of the competition after a defeat to Greek side PAOK, which was followed up by a poor loss to Motherwell in the Premiership and the Jambos will need to improve when they take on Aberdeen this afternoon.

Although they have scored 11 goals in their first nine matches, Hearts failed to find the back of the net in the four games before the break, while they are still relying far too heavily on Lawrence Shankland.

Last season, the Scot scored 28 goals, which was 15 more than anyone else, and he has carried this form into the current season, already notching five goals and Naismith will surely be looking for him to try and better last season’s tally if possible.

He can't carry Hearts by himself, however, and the loss of Josh Ginnelly, who scored 13 times during the 2022/23 season, has been a blow to the club.

When did Hearts sign Josh Ginnelly?

The winger initially joined the club in the summer of 2020 on a season-long loan deal from Preston North End and made enough of an impression to eventually join on a permanent deal in 2021, with Robbie Neilson praising the player.

He said: “I’m delighted to get Josh in permanently. He’s an explosive player, capable of providing a spark that can swing games in your favour.

“We saw glimpses of how good he was last season and now, with a full pre-season under his belt, he will hopefully go on to be a very important player for us.”

He cost the Jambos nothing having been released by the Deepdale outfit, and he showed glimpses of his talent as Hearts gained promotion from the Championship, despite featuring only nine times.

He even scored in the eventual penalty shootout defeat to Celtic in the Scottish Cup final, and he would go onto to enjoy a productive spell North of the border.

What happened to Josh Ginnelly?

Across his first full season after joining permanently, the Englishman featured 38 times while scoring twice in what was a solid maiden campaign.

The 5 foot 8 gem ranked third across the squad for shots per game (1.6) while also ranking fourth for successful dribbles per game (0.9) as he underlined his attacking capabilities, but it would be last term in which he finally exploded into life at the Tynecastle club.

Not only did he register 20 goal contributions – 13 goals and seven assists – which was an increase on the nine he achieved the season before, but Ginnelly raised his game across a wide range of metrics.

The 26-year-old ranked fifth in terms of overall Sofascore rating due to his league displays along with finishing second for goals and assists (16), shots on target per game (0.7) and successful dribbles per game (1.1) as well as first for big chances created (seven), showcasing a vast improvement from 2021/22.

He formed a key attacking duo with Shankland and although it didn’t lead the club to glory of any kind, they did manage to secure two wins in the Europa Conference League group stage and finished fourth in the league table.

He was even lauded for scoring “a quite magnificent equaliser” against Aberdeen towards the end of last term by BBC Sport Scotland commentator Liam McLeod and these performances were clearly a joy to behold.

Where is Josh Ginnelly now?

With his contract expiring at the end of the 2022/23 season, Hearts worked to keep him at the club, even offering him an improved deal, yet he rejected this proposal and departed for nothing, having no shortage of admirers.

The winger posted an emotional farewell message, saying: "This has been one of the toughest decisions I've had to make but after taking time to reflect I've decided it's time for a different challenge. I'm so proud to have played for this amazing club and I feel so proud to look back and see how far we've come over the last three years.

"I've made friends for life in the teammates that I've met along the way and it's been an absolute pleasure to have played alongside you all. Thank you to all of the staff who coached me through injuries and helped me through one of the toughest times of my career.”

He didn’t remain a free agent for long, as Swansea City snapped him up for free, and he has since gone on to make five appearances for the Welsh side, scoring once and what a goal it was.

It arrived on his debut against Northampton Town in the EFL Cup as the winger managed to get past two players before advancing into the final third and unleashing a thunderbolt which sailed into the top corner as he announced himself in the best possible manner.

His short stint thus far in Wales has already seen his value rise and according to Football Transfers, the 26-year-old is now worth €1.1m (£1m) and if he carries on the form he displayed at Hearts last season, this value will only continue to rise.

It was a blow losing the player, especially for nothing as if he remained at Tynecastle, he could have taken his game to the next level, and it would have generated a major profit for the Gorgie side in the process.

With crucial ties coming up in the next few weeks, Naismith will need to give some of his new signings a confidence boost as there is only so much Shankland can do.

The likes of Alex Lowry, Barrie McKay, Kyosuke Tagawa and Kenneth Vargas are all excellent players and if they are given the freedom their talents deserve, Hearts could soon move on from the departure of Ginnelly.

At present, however, the loss of the £1m-rated man looks to have been something of a shocker.

Australia captain Meg Lanning becomes the first Australian – male or female – to pass 2000 T20I runs during the course of a modest chase

Annesha Ghosh in Mumbai28-Mar-2018 ScorecardDelissa Kimmince’s career-best 3 for 20 helped Australia restrict England to their joint second-lowest T20I score, before their batsmen razed the 97-run target in just 11.3 overs. Both sides will face each other in the tri-series final on March 31.England’s rut started right at the top as they lost Danielle Wyatt, their centurion from the previous game, off the fourth ball after Australia opted to field. Kimmince sniped out Tammy Beaumont in the fourth over. Two overs later, Amy Jones and Nat Sciver were gone. Sciver’s dismissal was particularly breathtaking as Meg Lanning snaffled a one-handed airborne, back-arching blinder at mid-off before falling on her right shoulder, which is still under recovery from a surgery.England’s 40 for 4 became 40 for 5 six balls later as Heather Knight, the captain, was trapped plumb in front while attempting a premeditated sweep. This capped off a full-blown collapse they couldn’t recover from. A 27-run seventh-wicket stand, the highest of the innings, between Jenny Gunn and Davidson-Richards helped deny Australia for a while, but they didn’t threaten to take the game away from England. Kimmince’s return for her second spell triggered another collapse as England lost their last four wickets for just eight runs. Davidson-Richards top scored with 24 in the team’s 96 all out in 17.4 overs.Australia came out all guns blazing. Opening in Beth Mooney’s absence because of a mild abdominal strain, Perry peppered nine fours en route to an unbeaten 32-ball 47 to go with her 1 for 25. Keeping her company for the greater part of the chase was Lanning, who became the first Australian – male or female – to notch up 2000 runs in T20Is.That Lanning was out to bat in the fourth over was down to Natalie Sciver and Sophie Ecclestone removing Alyssa Healy and Elyse Villani for single-digit scores. The first five overs fetched Australia 21 runs, but the sixth alone earned them those many as Lanning carted five back-to-back fours off offspinner Danielle Hazell.Lanning began with an inside-out drive over point, followed by two firm hits through the covers. A change of angle from Hazell made no difference to Lanning’s approach as she then backed away to sweep the delivery fine. The fifth, another inside-out lofted drive, fell inches short of the cover boundary, with the sixth ball intercepted for a single at extra cover.Lanning’s 28-ball 41, her highest score on this tour, featured eight fours, including one off Ecclestone in the seventh over that earned her the milestone 2000th T20I run. Perry, on her part, smashed four fours off the tenth over, bringing the equation down to 20 off the last ten overs. It took Australia another nine balls to seal the chase, with Perry sweeping Hazell for a four past backward square leg.

Shakib Al Hasan and Rashid Khan picked collective figures of 3 for 46 restrict Rajasthan Royals t0 125 before Shikhar Dhawan slammed a 33-ball half-century to make mockery of a small chase

The Report by Shashank Kishore09-Apr-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:54

Dasgupta: RR need to look at loss as aberration and move on

In a nutshell
The highest successful chase in Hyderabad over the last three seasons has been 147. Without David Warner, their highest run-getter in each of the previous three seasons, it was a brave call from new Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Kane Williamson to field first and his bowlers justified that call in style.Rajasthan Royals huffed and puffed to 125 for 9 and then saw Sunrisers canter home by nine wickets on the same Uppal surface where the ball appeared to be doing all sorts of tricks when they batted. Shikhar Dhawan slammed a half-century, Williamson warmed up with an attractive knock and the home fans returned home a happy lot.In his first game for the new franchise who acquired him for a steal at INR 50 lakhs (US$ 78,000 approx), Australia fast bowler Billy Stanlake used his 6”7 height to generate zip and awkward bounce to bowl four impressive overs that also fetched him the big scalp of Ben Stokes for 5. Then spin twins Shakib Al Hasan and Rashid Khan applied the brakes in the middle overs, finishing with combined figures of 3 for 46 off eight overs to derail Royals. Barring Sanju Samson’s 42-ball 49, there was little of note from the top order.In reply, Sunrisers completely took the surface out of the equation as Dhawan and Williamson’s 121-run second-wicket stand snuffed out any inkling of hope Royals may have had of salvaging the match.Royals’ top-heavy batting strategy backfires
In pushing Rahul Tripathi, who enjoyed phenomenal success as an opener in 2017, to No. 5, they may have erred right at the outset. Tripathi’s attacking instincts and the ability to find boundaries at will in the Powerplay – reflected in his Smart Strike Rate of 201.82 – made him vital to Rising Pune Supergiant’s plans last season. When he walked in to bat on Monday night, Royals were struggling at 63 for 3 in the ninth over.D’Arcy Short, BBL 2017-18’s highest run-scorer, ran himself out in the first over. Samson walked in at No. 3 and began with two pleasing back-to-back boundaries off Bhuvneshwar Kumar – first a punch on the up through cover and then a wristy flick to bisect midwicket and mid-on – but couldn’t quite maintain the tempo after the Powerplay that fetched 48. This, even as Ajinkya Rahane struggled at the other end.The Rashid-Shakib unison
Where sides often decide to open with spin, Williamson held Rashid back for after the first six. His Smart Economy Rate of 4.89 between overs six and 15 was second-best to Sunrisers’ MVP of 2016, Mustafizur Rahman, whose economy rate was pegged at 4.66. Rashid made the ball talk immediately, beating Stokes twice and conceding just one off his first over. This pressure to hit out resulted in Stokes holing out to long-on in the next over.Shakib then did what he usually does – play the holding job to perfection by varying his lengths and pace cleverly. Since 2015, he averages 38 in the middle overs and rarely strikes in this period. On Tuesday, he picked up the wickets of Tripathi and Samson in the space of four deliveries in the 14th over to leave Royals tottering at 95 for 5.This left Jos Buttler needing to repair some late damage to haul them close to 150. It proved to be a task too steep as Buttler would chop on to Rashid’s slider. That Royals eventually got to 125 was down to Shreyas Gopal’s run-a-ball 18 full of dinks and dabs.Their overseas bowling aside, Siddarth Kaul exhibited Sunrisers’ local fast-bowling depth. Preferred over his state team-mate Sandeep Sharma, Kaul impressed to pick 2 for 17 off his four overs to ensure they didn’t leak runs towards the death.Dhawan makes Rahane pay
Dhawan doesn’t figure on top of the Smart Strike Rate list, he goes at 114.57, but he has still managed to remain effective for Sunrisers, because they have had the belligerence of Warner to bank on. On Monday, Wriddhiman Saha was sent up to open, but fell in an attempt to loft over the infield. Dhawan then took over and played Warner’s role to perfection in slamming a 33-ball half-century. This came with some luck, however, as he was put down at first slip on 0 in the very first over. Looking to flay a Dhawal Kulkarni lifter outside off, Dhawan found a thick edge that was put down by Rahane on the second attempt.Dhawan’s first scoring shot five deliveries later also flew over slip. Edgy, he may have been initially but he soon found his rhythm by slamming Kulkarni for a four and an upper cut for six off his next over to set Sunrisers on track. This meant Williamson didn’t need to flex his muscles, and relied on pure timing and hand-eye coordination to pick runs. Their half-century stand was raised off just 27 balls. It really was all too easy from there.